The Ignored Global Warming

Global warming is an ever-present issue in our country today that needs to be addressed before it's too late.

Dear Next President,

Global warming is an issue that affects our nation and our world but our country’s leaders continue to ignore it’s reaching significance. We live on this earth and breathe the air so we must take care of our home. Many people carelessly use resources that could be recycled or conserved. These wasted materials are cycling back into the atmosphere in the form of pollution. Our human race has “6.5 billion people pump into the Earth's atmosphere twice the amount of carbon dioxide than the world's forests and oceans can naturally absorb. The remaining carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere and traps heat in a phenomenon known as the Greenhouse Effect” (Gonzalez). Not only do our actions affect ourselves, they also harm natural plants and animals. Many Americans are aware of this climate change problem at some level but choose ignore it. The heating earth isn’t going to cool down on its own. We need to take action in order to prevent the destruction of our planet.

To begin, we can see that global warming is a real and ever-present issue. Some people dismiss growing temperatures as a coincidence or natural phase. However, most scientists don’t seem to believe the earth is merely going through a natural cycle. Alarmingly, they have “predicted that temperatures will continue to rise about 0.3°C (0.5°F) or more every ten years” ("Global Warming"). Clearly, global warming is a critical problem that we, as a human race, have to deal with. If our earth continually increases in temperature, life will start to die off. It’s not natural for the atmosphere to be so hot, making many vital ecosystems and wildlife unable to adapt to the changes in temperature. Our actions of emitting greenhouse gasses are not only harming the environment we live in but they are affecting the animals and plants around us too. It is essential that we take action to correct our misuse of the environment before it’s too late.

Moreover, environmentally-safe products are readily at the disposal of American consumers. It’s just a matter of choice for consumers to pick the green products. There is a common misconception that environmentally friendly (or “green”) products are more expensive, when in reality, they are economically beneficial. Consumers can benefit from the fact that "‘(t)he cost of environmentally friendly cleaning products has become much more competitive...’” (Weber). These competitive prices means that the cost of green goods has become comparable to other common brands. Lower prices on green goods means that more American consumers can afford them and have a positive impact on the environment.

Although not all consumers think alike, many average shoppers may believe the “green”, or environmentally-safe products aren’t as effective as the generic brands. I was skeptical at first about the effectiveness of, say, environmentally friendly soaps. Some would say that soap without certain chemicals doesn’t work but further research proves that “green” soap is actually healthier and equally as effective as high-chemical soaps. Highly respected medical organizations like the FDA and the American Medical Association (AMA) say “the frequent use of antibacterial ingredients can promote bacterial resistance to antibiotics’” (Weber). This resistance leads to immunity from medicines that help cure illnesses, an unhealthy and counterproductive thing for soap to be doing. Environmentally friendly soaps don’t contain these harmful chemicals while still sanitizing hands. Additionally, these “green” products protect the atmosphere from unnatural chemicals that pollute the air. Unfortunately, many American consumers can’t conceive the benefits to environmentally friendly products, so continue to buy the generic brands that pollute our earth. These products are already available on the shelves of stores at a reasonable price, but consumers are too skeptical to invest in them. Americans need to be educated on the many ways they can help the environment, including buying non-toxic goods.

Finally, Americans are huge contributors to the greenhouse gases that are polluting our atmosphere and causing global warming. We are known to be very materialistic and gluttonous as a society. We aren’t the only highly developed nation but we do produce the most pollution. It was found “(t)he United States, with 5% of the world's population, emits a disproportionate share—22%—of the world's greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels. Indeed, each person in the U.S. emits twice the amount of greenhouse gases as each person in France, Japan, Switzerland, and other countries with a high standard of material comfort” (Gonzalez). America makes so much pollution that even just our nation going green would make a huge step forward in preventing global warming. The United States has many luxuries and opportunities but we also need to take accountability for our actions. We, as a nation, are hurting not only the environment we live in, but the place other living things call home. It is our responsibility to change how we live to better the earth.

Future President, the world needs your help. Global warming is a real issue in our world. The climate is changing due to human activity and temperature differences are harming the life that resides on our planet. Americans need to change the way we live in order to save the environment. Programs for educating Americans on the effects of their actions and the effective ways households can prevent global warming would be steps to begin preventing global warming. We have the means to be “green”. Cleaning products and recycling programs are already in place but many Americans neglect to see the ways small actions in their life can affect the environment. Americans produce a vast amount of pollution and need to stop pouring toxins into the air. Laws, regulations, and incentives can be further implemented to make sure big companies go “green” and city air is cleaner. By preventing global warming, we are making ourselves healthier and the earth a better place to live.

#2nextprez

Letters to the Next President 2.0 engaged and connected young people, aged 13-18, as they researched, wrote, and made media to voice their opinions on issues that mattered to them in the 2016 Presidential Election.

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